New Release Spotlight: October 14, 2025

Another busy week for the Spotlight! I’ve picked 17 featured titles for this week’s list. Picture books look especially fab!

My top picks:

• The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson (YA Thriller)
• The Five Wolves by Peter McCarty (MG Graphic Poem)
• Broken by X. Fang (Picture Book)

This week’s titles have been added to The Ginormous Book List, #4892-#4908.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Gospel is the Keeper of the Leaving Room―a place all young people must phase through when they die. The young are never ready to leave; they need a moment to remember and a Keeper to help their wispy souls along.

When a random door opens and a Keeper named Melodee arrives, their souls become entangled. Gospel’s seriousness melts and Melodee’s fear of connection fades, but still―are Keepers allowed to fall in love? Now they must find a way out of the Leaving Room and be unafraid of their love.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC.

When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers.

When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

High school senior Lyric has always found Christmas to be the hardest season. While other kids got presents and family time by the fire, she was in and out of foster care. An up-and-coming make-up influencer and aspiring cosmetology student who loves a bold lip, Lyric definitely isn’t looking for romance―not when opening up to someone feels a lot like asking to get hurt.

Christmas is Juniper’s favorite time of year. At least, it was, until her moms’ separation. They’re back together now, and Juniper hopes they’ll stay that way. Because if they’re happy, that means Juniper can leave for her gap-year trip after graduation (the one she has yet to tell her parents about, and can’t really afford without their help).

When a chance meeting brings these two opposite personalities together, they should clash . . . only they don’t. Instead Lyric strikes a deal with Juniper: pose as her fake girlfriend in a series of holiday-themed social media posts and they can split the money from her beauty sponsorships. But soon the lines between what’s real and what’s not start to blur. Could it be that sparks are flying both in front of the camera and behind it?

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

For the third summer in a row, Pernell is back in the classroom, facing the same struggles that have always made school seem more like a battlefield than a place of learning. This summer is different, though: he’s battling to become the Cypher King, leader of the lunchroom’s impromptu rap circles. Here, the rhythm flows and the words fly, creating a space where the wittiest and most rhythmically inclined reign supreme. Here, Pernell’s ADHD gives him an edge.

But life outside the cypher isn’t as forgiving. Pernell’s English teacher has it out for him. His parents are pressuring him to see a doctor for his lack of focus. And Electra, his friend-slash-crush and the only one who truly gets him, is too busy chasing her dream internship to give him the time of day.

If Pernell doesn’t pull himself together, he won’t just lose the title of Cypher King—he’ll lose his chance to graduate high school. In a world where the systems are turned against kids like him, Pernell needs to find a way to succeed with his ADHD, rather than in spite of it.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Eden Lowell has plenty to be frustrated about. In the flooded Marshes of former Miami, each day is about survival. Even her feelings for her best friend Henry are more complicated than they should be. Luckily, Eden knows exactly who to blame: the Cruisers, corporate elite who sail the world on massive ships instead of facing the environmental crimes they’ve committed on land.

When Eden learns that a Cruiser family is hosting a dating competition for their heir, Theo Desjardins, she seizes an opportunity. Aided by a political agitator known as the Ringmaster, she’ll infiltrate the competition, break Theo’s heart, and then steal his money for the Marshes. A perfect plan, until she gets to know Theo, who’s not only handsome but surprisingly kind.

As Eden drifts deeper down into the Cruisers’ world, the line separating truth and lies becomes murky. Torn between two identities, two loves, and two futures, will she choose the mission, or her heart?

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Alice has been unhappy ever since her parents sent her to Prince Edward Island to live with her strict grandmother. Alice is fanciful, prone to telling tall tales, and absolutely OBSESSED with dragons! Fairies deliver dragon eggs to a select few, known as Kindreds, but no egg has ever arrived for Alice.

While wandering the woods alone, she finds and secretly befriends a mysterious old dragon named Brim. Alice is excited to finally have a dragon friend of her own, but when Brim suddenly falls ill, Alice must set out on a desperate quest to save him.

As Alice searches for a cure, she discovers that her connection to dragons is unlike that of any Kindred—but will her new power be enough to save her friend?

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Beheadings! Bloodletting! Bodysnatching! Journey down a snaking road bristling with medicine’s most astonishing “dead ends.” Marvel at the diagnoses, experiments, and treatments that were frequently useless, and often harmful, but that sometimes led doctors to discoveries that changed the world for the better.

Enjoy a whirlwind tour of the human body-from brain, to heart, to limbs-during which New York Times bestselling author Lindsey Fitzharris and caricaturist Adrian Teal will guide you through centuries of medical mistakes, festooned with riveting facts, pitch-perfect humor, and vivid illustrations. Celebrate the flukes, flops, and failures that have given science a better understanding of our bodies and ways to treat them.

This fascinating book of foul-ups is sure to delight young readers, and inspire them to embrace their failures, too!

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Across oceans, through fields, and down tunnels, five daring wolves traverse the planet in search of wonders to draw and paint. All the while, a disembodied narrator spins the tale of their absurdist adventure and asks big questions. What is art? And who does it belong to?

Part epic picture book, part graphic novel, The Five Wolves defies genres. With intricate ink work and meticulous hand-lettering, Peter McCarty has crafted an exquisitely illustrated epic poem. The Five Wolves is an entrancing journey and a testament to the power of art and artists.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

J.J. Sugar was only eight years old when he discovered that he could really draw. Like…better than anyone else in class (no offense to the other kids!). After winning a citywide poster design contest, his dream of becoming an animator was born.

Unfortunately for J.J., that same year, he also discovered his curse. After not feeling well for several weeks, he went to the doctor for some tests. (Actually, lots and lots and lots of tests.) And when his doctor dropped the diagnosis—Crohn’s disease—J.J. was suddenly no longer alone on the exam table. Sitting next to him was a giant, sarcastic, leather-wearing CREATURE: Norm, the not-so-invisible embodiment of J.J.’s chronic disease. And Norm seems bent on ruining his life.

Now, J.J. must navigate the twists and turns of middle school and his bowels. But maybe he won’t have to do it alone…

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Benjamin and Ethan Broderick don’t fit together. Twelve-year-old Ben loves retro arcade games and puzzles, while his older brother would rather play sports and hang out with his friends. The only thing they have in common is how much they resent being forced to go on a summer road trip.

But at the quirky diner where the brothers make their very first stop, they discover a clue leading to a giant puzzle race with a million-dollar prize! Along with five other families, the Brodericks are thrust into a high-stakes competition along the famous Route 66.

Can Ben and Ethan put their heads together—and put aside their differences—to beat out the other families and solve Ms. Pennypickle’s ultimate puzzle?

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Shannon’s twenty-eight poems in Nightmare Jones send delightful shivers down the spine. Written in a variety of styles and forms, they encompass magic realism and influences from fairy tales, folklore and ghost stories, alongside more contemporary explorations of unusual creatures, misunderstood monsters and commonplace human fears (both ridiculous and sublime!).

Cindy Derby’s evocative line and watercolor illustrations inhabit these weird and wonderful works with her characteristic flair for the strange and witchy wonders of the world.

In these poems what makes a person scared might also make them sad, or even make them laugh, as Bramer writes from a place of wonder, empathy, curiosity and reverence for the deep dark woods we all have inside us. If you’ve ever wanted to spend some time in a witch’s garden or wondered what spiders do with our worries, this is the poetry book for you!

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Antarctica is a fragile and fascinating world that most of us will never see―and it’s disappearing. Learn all about it before it’s too late. All About Antarctica is an inviting and exciting reading experience with brilliant color illustrations paired with bite-sized facts on every page.

Put on your parka and snowshoes and step into this nonfiction picture book to embark on a journey to the way, way south. You could hitch a ride on a Sno-Cat, explore the majestic icefalls, hunt for meteorites, and marvel at migrating whales―or just stay in for a movie and pizza. 

From colossal squids and active volcanoes to research vessels and cricket matches, there’s a lot more to the South Pole than just penguins and icebergs (though there are also a lot of penguins and icebergs). Learn how humans survive in the coldest, driest, windiest place on Earth and discover what surprises await in this endlessly fascinating Everything & Everywhere book.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

When Mei Mei accidentally breaks her ama’s favorite cup, she’s convinced it’s the end of the world. What if Ama is angry? What if she yells? What if she kicks Mei Mei out of her house? Mei Mei can’t face it.

But when Mimi, the innocent cat who witnesses her crime, ends up being blamed, the guilt is too much! Mimi’s accusing eyes follow Mei Mei until she just can’t take it anymore, and the truth comes spilling out.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

What’s better than holding onto a brand-new bright orange balloon?

Oh no! What’s worse than accidentally letting go of a bright orange balloon and watching it float up . . . up . . . up into the sky?

In this nearly wordless book, sharp-eyed readers will spot something orange and round in every scene as they join an endearing journey from disappointment to hope to a surprise ending better than they could have imagined. A balloon, seek-and-find play, and a (literally) warm-and-fuzzy ending—who could ask for more?

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

Today’s Lunch Special: Freshly caught fish. 

Bear lives alone in a lighthouse. 

Bear mends their clothes, sweeps the floors, and catches their own lunch.

Today’s lunch is Eustace. 

Eustace would really like to live. (He has a girlfriend after all.)

Will Eustace be released back into the sea? Or will he end up in Bear’s stock pot? 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

When a young boy’s grandmother walks on, he wonders where she’s gone.

Did she go to the market to buy ripe melons? Or maybe she’s in the garden, watering her herbs?

It feels like she’s somewhere far away, so the boy finds new ways to share stories about his day, hoping she can hear him.

Even her house feels like it’s waiting for her return. Then as the boy approaches the kitchen, the scent and memories of her cooking assure him that no matter where she is, her love will always be close by.

Because when someone walks on, they stay with us. They grow in our hearts and guide us as we walk in their footsteps.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY

On an island at the edge of a silvery sea, when the moon rises and night falls, a girl spins a story for her worried cousin to help him find comfort in the wintery dark.

She invites him to see moonlight glittering in the forest, bioluminescence sparkling by the shore, and northern lights blazing in the sky. In the dark of the night, the whole world sings.